Heard that due to the violent/tire-burning/vanadalising
protests all through this morning and afternoon,
KTM is presently under curfew, and that the big Masjid near
Ratna Park/Kamaladi area has been burnt down today (Wednesday).

Nepalnews.com does not have the updates yet.

Could anyone from Nepal please share details here.
It's really unfortunate what's happening in and to our country.

(Sorry, if the title of this thread sounds a bit melodramatic, but that is how a friend described the situation to me via email). Please share news.

oohi
ashu

I say, it's a mourning time not a BURNING time.

Sure, Murkha Maila, that's a pretty bidwan observation.

Let's share updates from Nepal as they come in these times.

oohi
ashu

It has been a surreal morning in Kathmandu. It seems like we've had our own version of 9/11. From atop the roof of a prominent building in central Kathmandu, the city resembled a burning oilfield as thick plumes of smoke arose from numerous corners of the city. Jame Masjid in Ratna Park was vandalized as armed policemen watched on, petrified and unsure about what to do. Rumours have it that numerous "manpower" agencies in Kathmandu have been destroyed. I personally saw and heard glass panes of the Gulf Air office in Hattisar being smashed, its computers and office furniture dragged outside and set on fire. Numerous shells of tear gas have been fired at different locations in the valley to disperse the mob. There are also rumours that the fugitive Chiranjibi Wagle's house has been destroyed. Amidst all this chaos, the district administration office has finally declared a curfew beginning 2 pm. It seems that the tire-burning and rampant vandalism as come to a halt as people can be seen scurrying about trying to make it to their homes. Oh wait a minute, even as I write this, a colleague who is still on the roof monitoring the situation reports that a few rounds have been fired. By whom? At whom? It is not clear.
I'm including a few quick shots from my Nokia.

1:27 pm. Kathmandu.

Yes it's burning..I was just informed that there are 2 groups creating chaos. One of the group is going after burning Man Power Agencies and the other is going after Mosques/Muslims and muslims owned business. I am simply dumbfounded. Is this the best solution we could have thought of? Here is a fresh image taken an hour ago. Its such an irony. On one hand the country at present is fueled by workers living abroad, and the other they are burning business entities that promote this new industry that is sustaining our economy.

What happened in Iraq is inhumane and simply intolerable. The way to tackle this loss is thru unity. When are we gonna learn?

watch the clouds under the mystic/majestic himalayan Kingdom where people pride in religious tolerance.

Did these people who burnt this particular office think that Quatar Airways is perhaps one of the few choices we have to bring remainder of 1000s of Nepalese still in Mid East. Now if you were Quatar Airways management, would you go out of your ways to extend any help needed! We are burning our own resources and hurting ourselves!

The focus should be how to take the country forward, how to unite, how to help the families at loss and how to ensure safety of remainder of the Nepalese workers in Iraq.

jaba bhayo Raati taba buri taanti

I think this should be a slogan for our government officials. How could the government not have expected the violent demonstrations in the street. If janata could create havoc when an Indian Artist supposedly said He hated Nepal, couldn't they have been better prepared in advance. Billions of Rs. of property has been damanged, our philosophy for tolerance of religion has been shattered while the families of the poor 12 young Nepali men in deep shock.

Vandelizing the limited infrastructure we have is not going to delete what happened in Iraq. The focus should be how to make sure that this does not happen again.

In midst of all where in the F@$K is the Royal palace? Is the King and Palace still worried to keep their lausy status? Nepal needs leadership to help manage the frustrations of the local people who desperately need a ray of hope. We need some body to tell the janata "hope is on the way"

Here's the latest run-down:

Military helicopters are hovering overhead as I write this, keeping a watchful eye over a dreaded, terror-ridden capital. I can hear ambulance and fire-engine sirens rush past the Thapathali-Maitighar chowk as they dash towards yet another casualty, fire. Scores of buildings and offices have been burnt, and several businesses, primarily Muslim-owend businesses and manpower agencies, have been ransacked and destroyed. Even KantipurPulications and Kantipur Television building in Tineekune, and Channel Nepal office in Shantinagar were burnt and vandalized. Why attack the messenger?

Gulf Air, Qatar Airways and Saudia offices have been destroyed, but the Mosque at Ratna Park escaped major damage as it is situated in one of the best guarded terroritories, near the Royal Palace. There is sheer anger in the air. Most Nepalis I have talked to on the streets today spout venom, against the Islamic militatnts, against the government and against all Muslims. This is getting scary and reminds me of the Hrithik Roshan kanda of 2000. I find it surprising that the govt dithered for hours before issuing the curfew orders. The Shiva Sena Nepal has been protesting the killings vociferoulsy, and so are most student groups and just plain common citizens. The prime minister is slated to address the nation this evening, or so I hear.

From outside Kathmandu, the situation is tense in Birganj, which has a substantial Muslim community. Local Shiv Sena worers and youths forcibly shut down businesses from early today, though no fighting and destruction has been reported there. We are awaiting news from Nepalgunj, another tinderbox. Hope its not bad out there.

The most surprising thing is, no one - none of the political parties, none of the civil society groups, no individual - have stood up and asked for the violence to stop. This is exactly the time when leaders and followers alike should get up and take a stand against violence. But none have been forthcoming, so far. Except of course the government which put out a timid and belated statement last night calling for calm. But the govt should take its fair share of the blame. For 12 days, it had the opportunity to send a high-ranking officer (the foreign minister perhaps) to Iraq or nearby countries to at least try to make contact with Ansar-al-Sunna. But it didn't. Instead, it left the job to two ambassadors based in Qatar and Pakistan. Look at the French. They rushed thier foreign minister to Egypt, even if it was only a political gesture. Such gestures count in times of crisis.

It is sad to see such destruction again. These poor Muslim Nepalis who are being targetted in Nepal for merely being Muslims. Are they any different from the 12 Nepalis killed in Iraq for the mere fact that they were Nepalis? But its pointless to blame the masses, I guess. What this episode underscores is the deeper malaise in our society. The killings became a spark. There is national frustration in Nepal, and the violent reaction to the killings just showed that.

From Early morning riots in Baneswhor has caused much terror. Each and every office with the words consultancy or "study in USA" have been attacked. Find some pictures at:

http://community.webshots.com/user/nepalwrx

I have some morie videos too. But they are pretty large!

All ýpatrioticý Nepalese should be proud of events in Kathmandu today because:
1. The ýnationalistý crowd began by burning down the shade where Nepali Congress activists used to sit in protest against the regression.
2. Every where slogans of rioters were Girija Murdabad and Raja Aau Desh Bachau.
3. The house belonging to ýcorruptý Chiranjivi Wagle was vandalised.
4. Kantipur was penalised because it had the guts to expose the militarization of the country.
5. People enforcing the closure and rioting in the streets were the same who had protested against the Bandh called by Nepali Congress on Sunday, a public holiday.
Now, blame our corrupt ýpoliticiansý, sing the praises of Royal Nepal Army, heap some curse on Girija, get stoned, and go back to earning some more money so that you can criticise politicians back home some more.
Have a nice day.

As far as I gather the buildings of kantipur publications have been severely vandalized. Unconfirmed reports, mainly Indian tv channels, report the death of 6-7 Muslims throughout Nepal, but no Nepali media confirms that. The three Indian hostages held by militants in Iraq have been released and this has further angered Nepalese, who have had to bear the biggest loss of life at the hands of the capturers in Iraq. Another unconfirmed report says that people of different ýmanpowersý were slain in ratopul and gaushala. At least 200 of these 'overseas' have been razed to ground. Computers, tv and other office equipment were seen burning outside virtually every agency, while sheaves of paper lay strewn on the road. It was a free-for-all. Many, including our servant, helped themselves with whatever they could lay their hands on-- he brought a punching machine, half-a-dozen pens, and a cartridge home, by the way.

Police were helpless and merely acted as bystanders. The management at Kantipur informed the security services as soon as the mob descended on its premises but they only arrived after another agonizing couple of hours. A neighbor of mine, who happened to be in one of the riot sites, says that some policemen were seen assisting the hell bent students. One policeman reportedly said: Sabbai thok bahira liyera jau, ani jalau. Jharbeti lai chain kehi nagara.

The riots in the streets do not come as much of a shock to me -- afterall, that is what I would expect from uneducated, deeply-frustrated, looking-for-excuses [to vent their frustrations, not necessarily from the pertinent issue at hand], and knowing-nothing-better youths. Rather, what is tragically surprising for me is the fact that after having experienced the infamous Hritik Roshan kanda of 2000, the government seems to have still failed to even anticipate such riots, let alone take necessary precautionary measures against such unwanted events.

It is very easy, perhaps even natural, to be swayed by negative emotions after extremely horrifying events such as gruesome murders of 12 Nepalis in Iraq yesterday. However, as those who know better, some of us should/must rise above such emotionalities and realize [and do our utmost to spread the word] that those dastardly criminals who call themselves Islamic Militants are nothing more than INDIVIDUAL monsters -- they are far from being true Muslims, neither do they in any way represent the larger Arab nationals. It is not only abjectly foolish to generalize and attempt to punish the entire Muslim population for the crimes of Ansar al-Sunnah, but to call for revenge against the innocents is in itself a crime of unfathomable magnitud that equals, if not surpass, the crimes committed by the extremists.

Without supporting or condemning the action of the aftermath, I opine that whatever is happening in KTM should've been expected. It is not way-out-of-line. It may not be something we should be proud of but it doesn't ashame me as a Nepali.

This might be the first time, most of us would have neutral (or even pro) feeling towards the vandalism going on (as compared to recent Girija Kanda, Rhitik Roshan kanda or even Miss Nepal protest).

We shouldn't generalise, but hey we have right to channel our anger. May be not to that extent..talk to me rationally when my anger is cooled off. Right now, all I can think of is the gruesome death of my 12 countrymen.

The King, in his message to the nation condoles the death of the country men but stopped short of condeming the militants. I dont think that condolence was enough, though I can understand his position.

Just heard 1 person died in KTM in today's violence.

I think I will echo with most of you. I saw the video....and nearly threw up, I feel numb, all I feel like doing is staying alone. Those people must have begged for mercy to live. The first person's throat was cut open..twice..and the videographer shot the video from a very close range .These cowards who hide behind masks and religion to justify their killings. The rest of others were shot at close range from the back..what must have gone through their heads....They did not deserve to die like that, no one does.

There are just too many people to blame which is of course after the fact. Starting with Maoist problem which has pushed all the nepalese to leave nepal and search for alternatives to make a few bucks more. Our government: which has time and time again failed us. Nepalese government never reaches its citizens in times of need. Just making statements on TV is not going to help you have to find a way to reach to these people and resolve the issue. May be even travel to these countries if need be but hey talking in front of a TV is much easier and on top of that dont say all the wrong things ifyou are incapable to saying the right things (prabal rana blamed nepalese for working in Iraq he is ambassador to uk, our king made a very formal statement nothing to show he meant to do sth about it)

Then we have the vandals...who do nothing to help but put the country in a state of chaos and add to the mourning. Most nepalese vent anger in all the wrong places and all the wrong time. Destroying home/businesses of Muslim will do us no good. We are supposed to be a peaceful nation and in my experince no other race have I seen is more violent than nepalese with or without alcohol. By hearing/seeing this, my moral burden towards nepal decreases each incident.

In any case lets all pray for their souls.

ashu your news is right. I also heard the same from other sources. Nepal news has some of the pictures uploaded

murkha, if this was an act of terrorism, yes i would say we should mourn. but from the quote from al-sunna, its very clear that this is the act against our religion. SHould we stay quiet??i dont think so. If i was in nepal right now, i would be in front to burn the damn mosque down.

People were taking sofas, chairs and desks of Man power agency (?):

http://community.webshots.com/album/182411577COXcgp/0

Pictures here on this site.

Were people protesting the killing in Iraq or stealing things?

See, now. These rotting Maoists now could not dare to harm their captives.. But how long?
______________________________

Maoists free 7 Jumla captives

Maoists have released six policemen and a government official who were captured during an attack on Jumla district headquarters, Khalanga, last month.

State-owned Radio Nepal Thursday said the captives were freed from Kalikot, one of the rebel strongholds in the Far Western region, at the presence of human rights activists.

One security person and a militant were killed and several government offices were destroyed in an overnight attack in the district headquarters. nepalnews.com mbk Sept 02 04